Could 27, 2021 — The CDC’s new, extra relaxed masks steerage for totally vaccinated folks was met with pleasure and reduction by many U.S. residents. However the Could 13 announcement has the medical neighborhood divided on whether or not it was the appropriate transfer, in line with new WebMD/Medscape ballot outcomes.
Out of 660 U.S. medical doctors surveyed, 57% mentioned the CDC jumped the gun by easing restrictions prematurely. Different medical professionals took an analogous place, with 63% of 1,330 nurses agreeing the masks shift got here too quickly.
The CDC says these vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19 are not required to put on masks or bodily distance, whatever the location or dimension of the gathering. There are some exceptions, together with public transit, hospitals, homeless shelters, and prisons.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, mentioned three giant research on how nicely COVID-19 vaccines work in opposition to the unique virus and its variants helped inform the new guidance. One examine from Israel discovered the vaccine to be 97% efficient in opposition to symptomatic an infection.
However many medical doctors and public well being specialists say vaccination charges aren’t excessive sufficient but.
“The CDC shouldn’t have eliminated restrictions with out requiring proof of vaccination,” tweeted Carlos del Rio, MD, an infectious illness knowledgeable and govt affiliate dean at Emory College Faculty of Medication in Atlanta. “They might’ve mentioned: it’s nonetheless applicable to proceed masking in locations the place unvaccinated and vaccinated persons are mixing akin to grocery shops.”
Epidemiologist and well being economist Eric Feigl-Ding, PhD, tweeted comparable disapproval: “Not happy in any respect — In a pointy turnabout from earlier recommendation, CDC on Thursday mentioned totally vaccinated could cease carrying masks or sustaining social distance in most indoor and out of doors settings, no matter dimension, no matter others. Too early.”
Others stay involved about extra weak communities battling entry points who’re nonetheless unprotected.
“If the US had the vaccination charges of Black communities (about 27%) I don’t suppose the CDC would have modified the masking tips,” tweeted pediatrician Rhea Boyd, MD. “We should always change tips when it’s cheap and protected for the populations made MOST weak, not for individuals who are the least.”
Non-medical professionals are additionally divided on the difficulty. Of two,140 WebMD readers, 49% mentioned the modifications got here too early, and 51% mentioned they’d proceed to put on masks in all indoor public areas. A complete of 19% mentioned they’d not put on masks in any respect in public – coincidentally the identical share of respondents who expressed no real interest in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
Nationwide Nurses United, the most important union of registered nurses in the US, launched a press release saying the shift places folks, particularly front-line employees, in peril.
“This latest CDC steerage will not be primarily based on science, doesn’t defend public well being, and threatens the lives of sufferers, nurses, and different frontline employees throughout the nation,” mentioned Bonnie Castillo, a registered nurse and govt director of the union. “Now will not be the time to chill out protecting measures, and we’re outraged that the CDC has executed simply that whereas we’re nonetheless within the midst of the deadliest pandemic in a century.”
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